The U.S. House is expected to vote this week on H.R. 1, a massive overhaul of election and campaign law. It’s called the “For the People Act.”
The legislation is crammed with good ideas. It requires states to offer same-day voter registration in federal elections. States must use voter-verified paper ballots. Voter ID is prohibited, while a 15-day early voting period is mandatory. States must set up independent commissions to draw House districts.
At the same time, it’s a hard bill to like. As introduced, it’s almost 800 pages long, with sections on voter rights, campaign finance and ethics. It addresses foreign interference in elections, campaign disclosure requirements, even an ethics code for the Supreme Court.
